Emergency light unit



28, 1967 s. SHEFLER ETAL 3, 2

EMERGENCY LIGHT UNIT Filed Sept. 23, 1965 I INVENTORS.

SYDNEY ,SHEFLER STEVEN M. LITTLE fA o amev- ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Ofiicc Patented Nov. 28, 1967 3,354,828 EMERGENCYLIGHT UNIT Sydney Shefler and Steven M. Little, China Lake, Califi,

assignors to the United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Navy Filed Sept. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 490,781 4 Claims.(Cl. 10237.8)

ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLOSURE An emergency light unit utilizingoxyluminescent compounds to provide illumination in aircraft cabins,cockpits, emergency hatches, etc. The unit comprises a hermeticallysealed light transmitting tube provided with frangible tips on each endand containing a wick saturated with an oxyluminescent compound. Tooperate, it is only necessary to break one or both tips permitting airto pass through the filters to activate the wick.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to an emergency light source, moreparticularly to an emergency light unit using oxyluminescent compounds.

In cases of light failure, battery-powered light sources have generallybeen used to provide light for emergency illumination. This type lightin many situations has certain limitations such as low reliabilitybecause of battery deterioration, corrosion of electrical contacts, andthe adverse effect on night vision. The present emergency light deviceuses light-producing chemical compounds and its reliability approaches100% over an infinite period of time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an emergency lightsource for use in aircraft cabins, cockpits and emergency hatches.

Yet another object is to provide an emergency light unit which hasinfinite shelf life and requires no maintenance to keep in a readinesscondition.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same become better understood byreference to the accompanying drawing wherein the single figure is aside view of a preferred embodiment of the emergency light unit, thesubject of this invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the unit comprises a hermetically sealedlight transmitting tube consisting of glass. Tube 10 is provided withfrangible break tips 11 on each end. An oxyluminescent tubular-shapedwick 12 consisting of an absorbent material saturated with achemiluminescent compound substantially fills tube 10. Wicks were madefrom both absorbent paper and cotton cloth soaked with theperaminoethylene composition, tetrakis(dimethylamino) ethylene. Uponexposure to the oxygen in the air this composition gives off ablue-green light. A filter 13 which permits only air to pass through wasfirmly seated in each end of tube 10 adjacent wick 12. This ele mentpermits the unit to be operated under water should the occasion requireit. The unit is assembled by first inserting wick 12 into tube 10-,securing filters 13 in the tube adjacent wick 12 then heat sealingfrangible tips 11 onto the ends of the tube while a vacuum is drawn toeliminate any air which may be present.

To operate the light unit, it is only necessary to break one or both ofthe frangible tips permitting air to pass through the filters toactivate the wick. If tips 11 are resealed, the light will graduallyfade away, but will glow again when air is admitted to the wick.

The filters consisting of ceramic or other air permeable materialsobtainable commercially, are necessary if the unit is to be operatedunder Water because water quenches the light. A conventional frittedglass filter which permits only air to pass through was used in thisunit. The units will operate for five minutes or more under water givingtime for identification of emergency hatches.

The emergency unit may be designed to fit a wide variety of containersand operating conditions. It may be automatically or remotely activatedby either an electric solenoid or a non-explosive activator. Afteractivation of the wick the light produced will provide illumination forup to 60 minutes.

The wick was made by saturating an absorbent material withtetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene in a nitrogen or inert atmosphere. Itwas found that a plurality of layers of absorbent cotton material soakedwith the tetrakis(di methylamino)ethylene (TMAE) gave longer time lightproducing characteristics than the single layered wick. Otherperaminoethylenes which may be used include tetrakis N-pyrrolidinyl)ethylene, l,1',3,3-tetramethyl-4 bi(irnidazolidine) andtetrakis(dimethylamino-methyleneamino) ethylene.

The light transmitting tube can be designed to carry a self-containedoxygen supply which upon rupture would release the oxygen to activatethe wick While the tube remained sealed.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An emergency light unit comprising an hermetically sealed lighttransmitting tube provided with frangible break tips on each end;

a cylindrical wick saturated with an oxyluminescent compositionsubstantially filling the tube; and

a filter which passes only air firmly seated in each end of said tubeadjacent the ends of said wick;

whereby rupture of said tips permits air to enter through the filters toactivate the wick.

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein the tube consists of glass and the wickconsists essentially of at least one layer of absorbent materialsaturated with tetrakis (dimethylamino) ethylene.

3. The unit of claim 1 wherein the wick consists essentially of aplurality of layers of cotton cloth saturated with tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene.

4. The unit of claim 1 wherein the tube consists of glass and the wickconsists essentially of a plurality of layers of absorbent materialsaturated with a peraminoethylene selected from the group consisting oftetrakis (dimethylamino)ethylene, tetrakis(N-pyrrolidinyl) ethylene,1,1',3,3 tetramethyl 4 bi(imidazolidine), and tetrakis(dimethylamino-methyleneamino) ethylene.

No References Cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. STAT-IL, Examiner.

1. AN EMERGENCY LIGHT UNIT COMPRISING AN HERMETICALLY SEALED LIGHTTRANSMITTING TUBE PROVIDED WITH FRANGIBLE BREAK TIPS ON EACH END; ACYLINDRICAL WICK SATURATED WITH AN OXYLUMINESCENT COMPOSITIONSUBSTANTIALLY FILLING THE TUBE; AND A FILTER WHICH PASSES ONLY AIRFIRMLY SEATED IN EACH OF SAID TUBE ADJACENT THE ENDS OF SAID WICK;WHEREBY RUPTURE OF SAID TIPS PERMITS AIR TO ENTER THROUGH THE FILTERS TOACTIVATE THE WICK.